Scorching hot springs house extreme life and a future ocean

SCORCHING temperatures, salt-smothered terrain and toxic air. It doesn’t sound like an inviting place to live, yet here in the Danakil depression in Ethiopia, microorganisms are thriving.

The harsh environment sits at the Afar triangle, where three tectonic plates are gradually pulling apart. As the ground splits open, geothermally heated groundwater rises to the surface and evaporates, leaving a carpet of brightly coloured salty deposits. One day, when the tectonic plates drift far enough apart, the area will become the birthplace of a new ocean.

In spite of this, the area is teeming with life – microorganisms called thermophiles that are able to survive extreme temperatures. Scientists are studying their DNA to understand how they do it and find out

FMSMNews.com is a news aggregator and opinions blog. We aim to showcase news from various Alternative News Outlets to expand the reach away from MainStream Media polarizing tactics. This site is owned and operated by Underlab Media Productions, Inc.